Effects of Slag-Based Silicon Fertilizer on Rice Growth and Brown-Spot Resistance

It is well documented that slag-based silicon fertilizers have beneficial effects on the growth and disease resistance of rice. However, their effects vary greatly with sources of slag and are closely related to availability of silicon (Si) in these materials. To date, few researches have been done to compare the differences in plant performance and disease resistance between different slag-based silicon fertilizers applied at the same rate of plant-available Si. In the present study both steel and iron slags were chosen to investigate their effects on rice growth and disease resistance under greenhouse conditions. Both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to examine the effects of slags on ultrastructural changes in leaves of rice naturally infected by Bipolaris oryaze, the causal agent of brown spot. The results showed that both slag-based Si fertilizers tested significantly increased rice growth and yield, but decreased brown spot incidence, with steel slag showing a stronger effect than iron slag. The results of SEM analysis showed that application of slags led to more pronounced cell silicification in rice leaves, more silica cells, and more pronounced and larger papilla as well. The results of TEM analysis showed that mesophyll cells of slag-untreated rice leaf were disorganized, with colonization of the fungus (Bipolaris oryzae), including chloroplast degradation and cell wall alterations. The application of slag maintained mesophyll cells relatively intact and increased the thickness of silicon layer. It can be concluded that applying slag-based fertilizer to Si-deficient paddy soil is necessary for improving both rice productivity and brown spot resistance. The immobile silicon deposited in host cell walls and papillae sites is the first physical barrier for fungal penetration, while the soluble Si in the cytoplasm enhances physiological or induced resistance to fungal colonization.     

The Effect of Silicon on Photosynthesis and Expression of Its Relevant Genes in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) under High-Zinc Stress

The main objectives of this study were to elucidate the roles of silicon (Si) in alleviating the effects of 2 mM zinc (high Zn) stress on photosynthesis and its related gene expression levels in leaves of rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown hydroponically with high-Zn stress. The results showed that photosynthetic parameters, including net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO₂ concentration, chlorophyll concentration and the chlorophyll fluorescence, were decreased in rice exposed to high-Zn treatment. The leaf chloroplast structure was disordered under high-Zn stress, including uneven swelling, disintegrated and missing thylakoid membranes, and decreased starch granule size and number, which, however, were all counteracted by the addition of 1.5 mM Si. Furthermore, the expression levels of Os08g02630 (PsbY), Os05g48630 (PsaH), Os07g37030 (PetC), Os03g57120 (PetH), Os09g26810 and Os04g38410 decreased in Si-deprived plants under high-Zn stress. Nevertheless, the addition of 1.5 mM Si increased the expression levels of these genes in plants under high-Zn stress at 72 h, and the expression levels were higher in Si-treated plants than in Si-deprived plants. Therefore, we conclude that Si alleviates the Zn-induced damage to photosynthesis in rice. The decline of photosynthesis in Zn-stressed rice was attributed to stomatal limitation, and Si activated and regulated some photosynthesis-related genes in response to high-Zn stress, consequently increasing photosynthesis.     

孔雀石绿对中华大蟾蜍蝌蚪的毒性研究

孔雀石绿(ＭａｌａｃｈｉｔｅＧｒｅｅｎ)是一种三苯甲烷染料,由于它有很强的毒性,多年来在水产养殖的疾病防治中经常使用:在鱼类养殖中使用015～02ｐｐｍ的浓度全池遍洒或用10ｐｐｍ的浓度浸洗15～30分钟来防治鱼类的水霉病等(郑曙明,1997)。同时用0002～0005ｐｐｍ孔雀石绿全池泼洒,或用02～05ｐｐｍ药浴2小时,或6～7ｐｐｍ药浴5～10分钟,也常用于防治蛙类蝌蚪的水霉病等(吴高升,1997)。孔雀绿直接进入水环境作为一种杀菌剂在水产养殖中使用多年,但对两栖类蝌蚪的影响末见报道,本文采用生物学上常用的实验动物中华大蟾蜍(Ｂｕｆｏｇａｒｇ…     

微生物多样性对土壤氮磷钾转化、酶活性及油菜生长的影响

采用灭菌土壤分别接种不同稀释倍数(1、10~(-2)、10~(-4)和10~(-6))未灭菌土壤悬浊液的方法,研究了土壤微生物多样性降低对油菜生长和养分吸收、土壤养分有效性和酶活性的影响。结果表明:(1)随着接种土壤悬浊液稀释倍数增加,油菜生物量逐渐降低,10-4的油菜生物量显著低于1和10~(-2),10~(-6)仅为1的26%;(2)油菜氮、磷和钾的吸收量与油菜生物量呈现相同的变化规律;(3)土壤铵态氮浓度随接种土壤悬浊液稀释倍数增加而降低;而土壤硝态氮则以10~(-4)为最高,其它处理间没有显著差异;土壤有效磷未发生显著变化;有效钾反而有上升趋势;(4)土壤多酚氧化酶(PhO X)活性随接种土壤悬浊液稀释倍数增加逐渐升高;β-1,4-葡萄糖苷酶(βG)活性以10~(-6)为最高,而其它处理差异不显著;土壤亮氨酸酶氨肽酶(LAP)活性和酸性磷酸酶(AP)活性变化不显著;(5)相关分析表明,油菜生物量与土壤铵态氮浓度的对数显著正相关;与多酚氧化酶、葡萄糖苷酶和亮氨酸氨肽酶活性显著负相关。研究表明,微生物多样性降低主要通过抑制土壤氮素释放影响植物生长。     

Deep Sequencing of RNA from Three Different Extracellular Vesicle (EV) Subtypes Released from the Human LIM1863 Colon Cancer Cell Line Uncovers Distinct Mirna-Enrichment Signatures

Secreted microRNAs (miRNAs) enclosed within extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a pivotal role in intercellular communication by regulating recipient cell gene expression and affecting target cell function. Here, we report the isolation of three distinct EV subtypes from the human colon carcinoma cell line LIM1863 – shed microvesicles (sMVs) and two exosome populations (immunoaffinity isolated A33-exosomes and EpCAM-exosomes). Deep sequencing of miRNA libraries prepared from parental LIM1863 cells/derived EV subtype RNA yielded 254 miRNA identifications, of which 63 are selectively enriched in the EVs - miR-19a/b-3p, miR-378a/c/d, and miR-577 and members of the let-7 and miR-8 families being the most prominent. Let-7a-3p*, let-7f-1-3p*, miR-451a, miR-574-5p*, miR-4454 and miR-7641 are common to all EV subtypes, and 6 miRNAs (miR-320a/b/c/d, miR-221-3p, and miR-200c-3p) discern LIM1863 exosomes from sMVs; miR-98-5p was selectively represented only in sMVs. Notably, A33-Exos contained the largest number (32) of exclusively-enriched miRNAs; 14 of these miRNAs have not been reported in the context of CRC tissue/biofluid analyses and warrant further examination as potential diagnostic markers of CRC. Surprisingly, miRNA passenger strands (star miRNAs) for miR-3613-3p*, -362-3p*, -625-3p*, -6842-3p* were the dominant strand in A33-Exos, the converse to that observed in parental cells. This finding suggests miRNA biogenesis may be interlinked with endosomal/exosomal processing.     

Structural evidence for three different types of glutathione transferase in human tissues

Cytosolic glutathione transferase was purified from human placenta and human liver. Three different forms of the enzyme were obtained, the acidic (pi), the near-neutral (mu), and the basic (alpha-epsilon) forms; two had free alpha-amino groups (pi, mu) and one had a blocked alpha-amino group (alpha-epsilon). N-terminal sequence analyses and total compositions gave clearly different results for each form, although transferases pi and mu showed 35% sequence homology in the N-terminal regions, with a 1-residue shift in starting position. Consequently, the proteins are concluded to be products of three discrete but related genes.     

Identification of a novel glutathione transferase in human skin homologous with class alpha glutathione transferase 2-2 in the rat.

Six forms of glutathione transferase with pI values of 4.6, 5.9, 6.8, 7.1, 8.5 and 9.9 have been isolated from the cytosol fraction of normal skin from three human subjects. The three most abundant enzymes were an acidic Class Pi transferase (pI 4.6; apparent subunit Mr 23,000), a basic Class Alpha transferase (pI 8.5; apparent subunit Mr 24,000) and an even more basic glutathione transferase of Class Alpha (pI 9.9; apparent subunit Mr 26,500). The last enzyme, which was previously unknown, accounts for 10-20% of the glutathione transferase in human skin. The novel transferase showed greater similarities with rat glutathione transferase 2-2, another Class Alpha enzyme, than with any other known transferase irrespective of species. The most striking similarities included reactions with antibodies, amino acid compositions and identical N-terminal amino acid sequences (16 residues). The close relationship between the human most basic and the rat glutathione transferase 2-2 supports the classification of the transferases previously proposed and indicates that the similarities between enzymes isolated from different species are more extensive than had been assumed previously.     

Transformation of NIH 3T3 cells by enhanced PAR expression

Prostate androgen regulated (PAR) is a 1038bp novel gene located on chromosome 1 in epidermal differentiation complex. The gene is ubiquitously expressed in normal tissues and is overexpressed in most of their malignant counterparts. PAR cellular function is unknown. Here we report the effect of increased PAR expression induced by transfection of PAR cDNA on NIH3T3 cell phenotype. PAR-NIH3T3 transfectants expressing 3- to 4-fold higher PAR levels compared to controls grew faster in tissue cultures, formed colonies in soft agar, and exhibited a shortening of G1 and S phases of cell cycle and formed tumors in SCID mice. Transfection of NIH3T3 cells with increased ectopic PAR expression with a 22 mer oligonucleotide in antisense orientation with PAR mRNA abrogated their ability to form colonies in soft agar. The data presented here along with our previously reported results on DU145 cells transfected with antisense PAR cDNA suggest that PAR gene behaves like a proto-oncogene.